Bye-polls to one Lok Sabha and 31 assembly seats spread across seven states are being held today amid tight security. The Election Commission has said that central police force personnel have been deployed in Assam, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh and Kerala.<br/><br/>In Uttar Pradesh, voting will be beginning this morning for 12 constituencies including 11 Assembly and lone Firozabad Lok Sabah by election. As many as 177 candidates including 12 women are in the fray. The voting is being held from 0800 hrs to 0500 in evening while counting of votes would be taken up on 10th of this month.<br/><br/>Our Lucknow correspondent Sunil Shukla reports that Elaborate security arrangements have been made for by-elections and a total of 113 companies of security forces including 26 companies of the Central Para-military forces, 42 companies of the PAC and 45 companies of state armed police from West Bengal and Haryana have been deployed, to ensure free and fair polling.<br/><br/>Nearly 49 lakh voters would decide political fate of candidates. Nearly 1,900 polling stations have been identified as critical, where special security arrangements have been made along with deployment of micro observers and video cameras. A total of 2,300 micro observers and 21 central observers have been appointed by the Election Commission. In Firozabad, the Election Commission has deployed five central observers to oversee the election process.<br/><br/>Our correspondent reports that ruling BSP, SP and congress have fielded their candidates in all 12 constituencies while BJP has left two seats Issuali and Bharthana seats. Besides major political parties of the state others parties including NCP in 4 constituencies, CPI 3 and JDU in 2 constituencies have also fielded their candidates.<br/><br/>Polling is taking place for Firozabad Lok Sabha seat where Congress' politician-turned-actor Raj Babbar is pitched against SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav's daughter-in-law Dimple.<br/>